Mayor eyes ‘Form Based Code’ to attract new businesses to town
Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., said in the past 16 years as the town's mayor he's had at least five businesses, including one about a month ago, that wanted to come to Flomaton, but wouldn't because the town had no zoning.
However, Bondurant said he is working on a plan which will allow Flomaton to attract new businesses without zoning.
“I love this town will all my heart,” Bondurant said. “I went to school here, played ball here, taught school here and my home is here. My goal is to make Flomaton better.”
Earlier this month, Mayor Bondurant attended a portion of a workshop in Atmore that provides local officials and community leaders with necessary strategies for long-term economic growth.
“I know when you mention the 'Z' word in Flomaton people turn up their noses,” Bondurant said. “But we've got to do something. In my research I found out there is a way to get around zoning.”
Bondurant said statistics show that in the next 50 years people will begin moving back to small towns to get out of the congestion in the larger cities.
“I want the people to help the council and me to attract more businesses to Flomaton,” Bondurant said.
While attending the workshop in Atmore, Bondurant met with John Robert Smith with T 4 America who was helping put on the workshop.
Smith served as mayor of Meridian, Miss., for 16 years and during that span he overlooked a major revitalization of the downtown area. He now works out of Washington, D.C., with Transportation for America.
Smith said he is very familiar with Flomaton and noted he came to the town several times when the Southern Rail Commission was attempting to expand passenger rail service through the area.
Smith agreed with Bondurant that people get nervous when officials talk about zoning and the plan he used in Meridian and is now helping other towns and cities to develop what is called a Form Based Code.
“It's not zoning, but a way of shaping land use,” he said. “You don't want non-conforming things next to each other. It's about land use and economic development.”
Smith said his company provides technical assistance workshops and helps towns go through the process.
Smith said once he receives some data from Flomaton he would help the town develop form based codes.
“This is something we need to do,” Bondurant said. “My daddy started here in 1952 and the sawmill had 152 employees when it closed. My family has enjoyed Flomaton. One of my biggest joys has been Hurricane Park and if things go as planned in the next year we hope to add 100 parking spaces, add two more Little League Fields and double the size of the concession stand.”
“If you love Flomaton like the council and I do, please help us make Flomaton grow,” Bondurant said.
The mayor said the growth would allow many of the young people who leave Flomaton an opportunity to come back.
“Flomaton is a great place to live and bring up a family,” he said. “I want to make it a place where our children can come back home.”
Smith said he would work with the town and in the future there may be grant funds available to help establish the form based codes for the town.
